1. Field
The methods, system, and infrastructure described herein generally relate to charging a rechargeable battery of a vehicle, which may be a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric vehicle. It more specifically relates to charging the rechargeable battery of the vehicle by rotating a shaft of an electric traction motor of the vehicle using mechanical power while the vehicle is stationary.
2. Related Art
There are many literature reports regarding battery charging methods. U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,464, for example, discusses an apparatus for charging a battery for an electric car. The apparatus includes a battery charge controller, a battery charger, and a battery. Upon detecting an under-charge condition, the apparatus initializes a charging process where the battery is charged an expected amount, which is dependent on the degree of under-charge detected by the controller. The charger converts the externally supplied AC electric power from an electrical grid into DC electric power and outputs an electrical signal to charge the battery. The charge controller terminates the charging process after it detects that a theoretical charge has been reached.
There is a need for a new battery charging method for a rechargeable battery of a vehicle. The vehicle may be a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric vehicle.